Artificial foot and shoe



(no Model.) 3 SheetsE-Sheet 1.

E. L. OOONNOR. ARTIFICIAL FOOT AND SHOE.

No. 299,158. Patentd May 27, 18841.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

BIL. OOONNOR;

ARTIFICIAL FOOT AND 1105.

" 'No. 299.158. Patented May 27, 1884.

N. Psrzas. Fhololilhognphar. Wnhingfim 0.1:

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. E L; OOONNOR.

ARTIFICIAL FOOT AND SHOE.

Patented May 27, 1884.

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PETERs, PhMO-Liihognphon Waahingfou. n.c.

Unirnn Frames EDWARD L. econnon,

Parent Orricn.

OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ARTIFICIAL FOOT AND SHOE.

E PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,158, dated May 27,188

Application filed February 9, 18s.). (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. OCONNOR, of the city of Cincinnati, in thecounty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Artificial Feet and Shoes, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a shoe or boot which shall takethe place of the thick cork soles or iron frames now employed by personshaving one leg shorter than the other, and which shall, when on the footof the wearer, have every appearance of an ordinary shoe or boot, thefilling or artificial foot contained in said shoe or boot being jointedto re semble the joints of the natural foot, enabling the wearer to walkwith ease and comparative grace.

A great many people object to wearing a thick cork sole or iron frameattached to the shoe, as it presents an unsightly appearance, and alsowhen this last-named shoe or frame is worn by a gentleman one leg of thepants must be cut shorter than the other. Vith my invention the thickcork sole and iron frame are dispensed with, and to outward.a1:pearances the crippled foot presents the same appearance as the otherfoot.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1,Sheet 1, is an elevation of the shoe complete. Fig. 2-, Sheet 1,represents a man wearing my improved shoe. Fig. 3, Sheet 1, represents aman wearing a shoe with a cork sole. Fig. 4, Sheet 1, represents an ironframe attached to a shoe, and the position it occupies and theappearance it presents upon the foot of a man in a standing position.Fig. 5, Sheet 2, represents the false foot or filling of the shoe,showing the position occupied by the foot of the wearer. Fig. 6, Sheet2, represents a vertical transverse sec tion through the false foot infront of the instep, taken at the line :0 m of Fig. 5. Fig. 7, Sheet 3,is a perspective view of the framework of the false foot. Fig. 8, Sheet8, is a vertical longitudinal section of the false feet.

This false foot A is made in sections, the said sections being jointedtogether to permit the foot to operate after the manner of the naturalfoot, and to accommodate itself to the movements of the natural foot,which it is to I support. The heel-sectiona is preferably hollowed out,as shown, forming a cavity, (1, surrounded by walls a. One or moretoe-sections, b, are provided, all of which sections are secured to asole-plate, B, preferably made of spring-steel. The front end of theheelsection a. is covered with a metal plate, B, and the ends of thetoe-section b and the inner end of the toe-sections O are each coveredwith a metal plate, as B. Spaces f are left between the various sectionsof the foot, and in each of these spaces f are placed and suitablysecured the springs D, preferably spiral, and there being preferably twoof these springs placed in each space f in the present instance. Inorder to retain these springs in position, a bolt, d, passes througheach spring, one end of each bolt being secured to one of the plates Bthe other end of said bolt passing through the plate at the oppositeside of the space f and being free to move longitudinally through thelast-namedplate as the springs D are compressed. These toesections I)may also, if desired, be hollow as well as the heel-section a, andespecially may this be the case if the foot is to be worn by a verylight or weak person. If, however, the person is very heavy, or has agreat deal of walking to do, all of the sections, both heel and toe, arepreferably made solid. The toe-sections being secured to thespring-plate B,the false foot is prevented from bending, the springs Dbetween the toesections and the heel-section being compressed. Thespring-plate B and the springs D at all times have a tendency to keepthe foot straight; but when the wearer raises his heel his weight restsmostly upon the toe-sections, and the plate B is bent and the springs Dare compressed, the false foot thus imitating very closethe weight istaken off from the toe the springplate B and the springs d straightenthe foot again.

The heel-section a may, if desired, be made in one piece complete; but Iprefer to make it in two pieces, as shown, the lower portion, 0, beingsurmounted by an upper portion, pref erably a block, E, which latter isconnected to the portion 0 by a hinge, c, the pivotal point of saidhinge being at the front end of the block E. hen the heel-section ismade ly the movement of the natural foot, and when in two pieces hingedtogether,'as described, a bolt, F, is passed down through an opening, f,in the portion E and through the portion-e, and is secured to thesole-plate B, the upper end of the bolt F being provided with a head ornut, F. In order to leave the upper surface of the portion E smooth andunobstructed, this head or nut F is sunk slightly below said uppersurface, and the bolt F, below this head, is surrounded by a spring, G,which is compressed between the head F of the bolt F and the bot tom ofthe opening or recess f in the block E. In the present instance thebottom of this opening is formed by one side of the hinge 0; but, ifdesired, the opening f may be so constructed near the bottom as to forma shoulder upon which the spring G may rest. A shoulder or projection ispreferably connected to portion E to prevent the head of the bolt fromslipping down too far. This spring G, being compressed between the headof the bolt F and the bottom of the opening f, tends at all times tokeep the block E in contact with the lower portion 0 of the heel-sectiona;

' heel-section.

but by further compression of the spring the back edge of said block ispermitted to move slightly away from the lower portion, 0, of the Thepurpose of this movement is to prevent any sudden jerk on the foot andleg of the wearer when the toe of the false foot steps 011 a raisedprojection of any description. This joint in the heel-section also makesthe ankle of the false foot more nearly like the ankle of the naturalfoot, thus permitting more freedom of motion. In the present instancethe great toe 7c is supposed to rest just over the space between theheel-section a and the adjoining toe-section b. (See particularly Fig.5.)

That surface m of the false foot (see Fig. 8)

on which the foot rests is shaped, as shown,

to correspond with the sole or bottom of the natural foot, the thicknessof the heel section or sections 0 and E, when there are two or more,being increased to compensate for the shortening of the leg.

A covering, H, preferably of leather, is placed over the upper surfaceof the false foot, and upon this covering is preferably laid a softpacking, H, of wool, felt, or other soft material to form an easyresting-place for the foot of the wearer. Then the natural foot is inposition upon the false foot, the line of the instep is but very littlealtered, as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 5, the thick portionof the instep and ankle being raised above its natural position. Theheel of the natural foot, however, will project rearward slightly beyondthe natural rear line of the ankle; but this projection will be entirelyhid by the clothing of the wearer.

The shoe J, into which this false foot and and the natural foot are tobe introduced, is shown complete in Fig. 1. The top a of this shoe ismade high enough to extend above the ankle of the natural foot when inposition therein, and is preferably laced up in front, but may, ifdesired, be buttoned.

In the interior of the rear part of the top is a pocket or recess, p, inwhich the heel of the natural foot rests when in position on the falsefoot.

In each side of the upper end of the top a is preferably placed anelastic webbing, K, which causes the top of the shoe to fit more snuglyaround the foot of wearer when the foot is in position and the shoelaced. The front of this top n is shaped to accurately fit the instep ofthe natural foot, which latter is therefore held securely in the shoe.

As an additional means for securingthe natural foot in the shoe and tothe false foot,

an ankle-support, L, may be connectedto the heel-section a, whichankle-support fits up around the ankle of the wearer, as shown in Fig.5. This ankle-support L may, however, be dispensed with, if desired, andthe foot of the wearer will be held in the shoe by' the upper a. g

It will be obvious that the false foot may be placed in a boot insteadof a 'shoe, the boot being formed tofit the false foot, and also to fitthe natural foot inserted therein, in a manner similar to that shown inconnection with the shoe and its upper. The upper of the foot is to beprovided with the reeessp. This false foot, having been properly formed,is placedin the shoe or boot and remainsthere, not being withdrawn withthe foot of the wearer.

By the use of my invention the shoe presents no unsightly appearance,and the wearer is allowed much more freedom of motion than is permittedby the cork sole or iron frame,

as the wearer has every use of his foot that he would have if it werefiat on the floor, and the wearer can therefore walk, run, or'dance withalmost as much freedom as a person without deformity. hen preferred, an6X- terior separate boot or shoe may be dispensed with, and the leatheror equivalent material may be permanently connected to and built ontothe false foot.

"While the various features of my invention are preferably employedtogether, as shown, one or more of them may be used separately, and,when desired, in connection, so far as applicable, with other artificialfeet and other shoes and boots, than such as are herein shown.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. The artificial foot A, consisting of aheelsection, a, and one or moretoe-sections, b, said sections being connected by a spring-connection,to permit the foot to bend in imitation of the natural foot, the surfaceon of said an tificial foot being shaped to correspond with the bottomof the natural foot, and adapted to receive said natural foot,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The artificial foot A, consisting of the heelsection c and the toesection or sections 2), said sections being secured to a springsoleplate, B, and separated by spaces, in which spaces are placedsprings D, capable of being compressed between the sections when thefoot is bent, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the heel-section a, having plate B, and the toesection or sections b, having plates B, said sections being secured to aplate, 13, and the springs D, located between said heel and toesections, and retained in position by the rods or bolts (1,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In an artificial foot, the heelsection (1, consisting of the lowerportion or base, 6, and the upper portion or block, E, the two portionsbeing hinged together at the front edge of said block by a hinge, c,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The heel-section a, consisting of the base 6 and the block E, hingedtogether, as described, in combination with the bolt F, passing throughsaid block and base, and secured to the plate B, and the spring G,located in the recess f in the block E, and surrounding the upper end ofthe bolt F, and compressed between the head F of said bolt and thebottom of the recess f, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In combination with a false foot provided with a surface, m, shapedsubstantially as shown, and terminating at rear above the ordinary heelportion of a shoe or boot, the upper 02, provided with recess 1), andfor the purposes specified.

EDWARD L. OCONNOR.

\Vitnesses:

J. WM. STREHLI, E. R. HILL.

substantially as 5

